A Shanklin man who made vile comments to a female bus driver and then went on to ask 2 young girls if they wanted a ‘rough, hard f**k’, before hissing at them, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
George Swain, 23, of Atherley Road in Shanklin, originally appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court in August of last year charged with a total of 5 offences. The matters were deemed so serious that it was sent to the Crown Court, but with 2 charges dropped due to a lack of evidence the other matters were sent back to the Magistrates Court on 10th December.
It was at the 10th December hearing that Swain pleaded guilty to 3 charges of using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment/alarm/distress in April 2021. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be compiled, with Swain appearing before the same court again last Monday (24th January) – some 5 months after his first court appearance.
In the Summer of 2020, Swain got on a Southern Vectis bus being driven by a woman. He immediately said “hello gorgeous” and asked for her mobile number. He asked the same whilst alighting from the bus. Fast forward to 12th April 2021 and the same bus driver came face to face with Swain, who once again said “hello gorgeous”. He then proceeded to ask the woman if she was interested in sex and asked for her Snapchat. Rather disturbingly, he then said: “you can send pictures of you on your period”.
Just 5 days later, on 17th April, 2 young female passengers got on the Route 2 bus in Ventnor and made their way to the top deck. As they sat down, Swain walked over to them and started bombarding them with questions, asking their age and for their Snapchat. He then asked, “you girls want a rough, hard, f**k?”. Swain went back to his seat but soon returned and showed the 2 girls his phone with a naked photo on the screen. The pair told him to go away, to which he replied “are you into that? Are you lesbians?”.
As the girls made their way onto the lower deck of the bus, Swain hissed at them.
Defending, Swain’s solicitor said that George accepted that his actions were wholly inappropriate and that he was no longer of a mind to approach people in the street.
A psychiatric report was ordered on George Swain with the court hearing the 23-year-old suffers from Austim and a schizophrenic disorder.
Magistrates handed down an 8-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 20 rehabilitation days. They also ordered Swain to pay £45 costs with a £128 surcharge.
In their sentencing, the bench noted that the offences were of a similar nature over 2 separate days with the victims having no opportunity to escape. They decided to suspend the prison sentence due to Swain’s mental health diagnosis and his lack of maturity.
That fine meant to be a deterrent? It’s not.
If this is true something tells me there is a high chance he will rape someone eventually.
So, he’d done the same thing previously over several days? People like this need taking out of society somehow, whether it’s prison or something else. No-one should be subjected to this sort of behaviour but, for some reason, he’s let off with a small fine because of his ‘immaturity’ and ‘mental heath’? What about the mental health of the girls and other people he approached or doesn’t that matter?
Let’s hope this is the end of it and he hasn’t hoodwinked the court and goes on to commit worse.
Shame the 2 alleged more serious charges are not mentioned. Seeing they initially were deemed bad enough for Crown Court.
This guy knows “whats right and whats wrong”. He knew exactly what he was doing and understands the impact of his actions would have on others especially on the young girls.
I do hate it when people hide behind the mental health barrier to avoid an appropriate punishment.
I bet you that a bottle of vodka was involved somewhere along the line.
So, in fact, he gets to walk away scot free. How long before he does this again, knowing that he is untouchable ???
The justice system in this country really is a joke.